Door latch



July 1, 1930. CARRER 1,769,489

DOOR LATCH 'Filed April 4, 1924 5a 5 75/ a7 5 4 Imm 6/ t 7 Y, .n

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Patented July 1', 1.930

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMENEGILDE CARRIER, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .AS-

SIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO EDWARD N. CUMMINGS, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHU- SETTS Doon LATCH Application led April 4, 1924. Serial No. 704,143.

4to provide a simple construction of this character which will be efe'ctive-andconvenient in use and have advantages which will more fully appear as the description proceeds.

vIn the accompanying drawings I have4 shown by way of example an illustrative embodiment of myy invention as applied to the door of an automobile and the mechanism shown embodies'vari'ous features ofconstruction disclosed in my copending application, Serial No.` 681,770, iled Dec. 20, 1923, and

`claimed therein. In the dra-wings:-

Fig. 1 is a partial section along a horizontal line through the framing of an automobile door and the `jam against whichit closes;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 l of Fig. 1 simplified bythe omission of parts and with a portion broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section through the along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

door fitting Fig. 4' is .an elevation of the jamb fitting l i 'f or keeper as seen from the line 4-4 of Fig.

1 and with parts broken away; and

4 Fig. 5 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 2

showing partsin another position.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have vthere showna portion of the vehicle door including a lock bar 11 and a rabbeted lock pillar or style 13, the latter adapted to close inwardly against the jamb 15. While certain of the improvements of my present invention may be applied to various types o latchesv or locks, I'have herein illustrated a construction utilizing a bolt pivoted on a horizontal axis at the edge of rthe door, that Ais, on theface of the lock pillar which adjoins the jamb when the door is closed. In such a construction and with the organization of ing mechanism which for its installation v will require very little cutting away of the lock bar and -loek pillar, if these parts are of wood, so that they will not be weakened and so that the installation of the latch will` be simpliiied. In the case of a metal lock bar the mechanism may be housed in a shallow depression pressed therein.

Referring `particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the latching mechanism here shown is organized on a casing of generally angular. form including a plate 17 adapted to be placed flush with the inner face of thev door, being mortised into the lock rail 11,'and

a ange -19 adapted to be set flush with the edge of the door. From the flange 19 projects outwardly a hollow housing 21, best shown in Fig. 2,- which accommodates, as shown in Fig. 3, a latch'bolt 23'which may be pivoted on a substantially horizontal axis formed by a pin 25 journaled in the outery wall of the housing and in an inner wall formed by the plate 27 fixed to the inner surface of the flange 19. The end of the bolt is projected by the spring 29 through a suitable opening inthe bottom of the housp ing to engage a keeper on the door jamb',

shown in Fig. ,4 and hereinafter more fully to be described, the `door swinging to closed position fromthe right hand side in Fig. v4.

The upper portion of the housing 21 may yserve as a stop for the bolt. To swing the bolt against the force of the -spring 29 to re- -tract it within the housing and permit the Vdoor to beopened, there may be provided on the pivot 25 an arm 31 located inwardlyof f the plate 27 lying llat against the same and extending towards the angle defined between the plate 17 and the flange 19. This arm .31 is in effect the tail of the latching bolt and the bolt proper 23 and the arm 31 are preferably related one4 to another as are the parts of a lever of the irst class.

When installed on the door it will be noted that the housing and the .relatively heavyI bolt project outwardly from the face of the lock pillar 13 and that a relatively shallow portion of the latter is cut away, as shown by dotted lines at 33 in Fig. 1, to accommodate the arm 31.

The arm 31 may be operated to swing the bolt (see Fig." 2) by means of a fiat lever '35 lying against the inner face ofthe plate '.Ihe lever 35 lies close to the plate .17 and the operating mechanism therefor herein provided permits the latch bolt to be operated either from the inside o r outside of the door without cutting away the lock bar 11 except to a relatively shallow depth, as indicated in Fig. 1, suliicient to receive the casing formed by the plates 17 and 37 which houses the flat lever 35 and certain other mechanisms herein to be described which are also organized in a shallow space along the inner face of the'door lying substantially in the plane of the inner face of the door.

I will first describe the means herein shown for operating the lever 35 from the exterior of the door and this is herein effected by means of a rotatable handle 39 having the square spindle 41 extending through the lock pillar 13 land'engaging a 'shallow cam or roll i back 43 journalled in the plates 17 and 37 and coplanar with the lever 35. It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that if the cam is rocked counterclockwise from the -position shown in that figure` the rise or nose thereof will depress the right hand end of the lever 35 tol unlatch the bolt. Preferably the arrangement is such that the bolt will be lifted in whichever direction the` handle 39 is turned and for this purpose I may provide an arm 45 presented at the opposite side of the cam 43 e p and connected to the opposite end of the lever 35, the arm 45 being herein formed as an extension of a fork 47 pivoted to the left hand end of the lever and forming a portion of another operatingmechanism hereinafterto be described and constrained to move in a sub- 'stantially vertical direction by the threaded rod 49 screwed into the fork 47 and guided in the lug 51 struck up from the plate 17. ItV

will be apparent that if the cam 43 'is rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2, it will lift the arm 45 and depress the right hand end of lever 35 to unlock the bolt. In whichever way the cam 43 .a Y is turned,either directly to depress the lever 35 or to act on the arm 45, it will move freely away from the other element and will return freely. Mechanically speaking, the cam and either of the elements on which it acts constitute a force-closed couple and there is lost motion between the parts of either couple when the other is operated. It will be noted further that the lever 35, arm 45 and cam 43 are all' shallow elements lying in the same plane andare consequently housed in a space of minimum depth.

Conveniently the end of arm 45 may have a hook-like form,` as best seen in Fig.A 2, providing an end or bill engaging close to the center of cam 43 and preferably in such angular relation thereto that 'thenormal move: ment thereof is a short arc crossing or closely adjacent thehorizontal. By this construction the handle 39 acts with good mechanical advantage and lifts the arm 45 upwardly substantially without sideways thrust which might cause binding or bending of the parts. The throat of the hook provides clearance for the nose of the cam.

For operating the latch from the inner side of the door suitable means are preferably provided which may be received also in a shallow space of slight depth as indicated clearly in Fig. la.v To operate the latch from the inner surface of the door I may utilize a. pull rod moving substantially vertically in the shallow space adjacent the plate 17 and comprising the fork 47 into which taps the screw 49 already referred to, the whole being loosely guided in the lug 51 and normally dei pressed by the helical spring'53 surrounding screw 49 and interposed between the fork 47 and a washer-55 engaging the lower surface of the lug5l, The spring 53, besides returning the pull rod to position, obviously tends to Aswing thevlever 35 counterclockwise, releasingthe bolt to the action of its spring 29. The rod 49 may be connected by means of the fork 57 to a relatively flat lever 59 pivoted at the upper edge of the plate 17 and rocking movement of this lever substantially in the plane ofthe inner surface of the door,

.that is, within the shallow zone assigned to the reception of the latching mechanisrmas will be understood from an inspection of Fig.

the right hand end of lever 3 5.` It will be noted further that in this action both the lever 35A and the arm 45 move freely away fromvthe cam 43 so that operation ofthe latch from the inner side of the door isentirely independent of vany connection with `1, willserve to' lift the pull rod and depress the outer handle 39, its spindle 41 and the cam i j 43. Preferably the arrangement is such that if the cam'43 is utilized to swing the latch in either manner, which obviously'causes a lifting of the pull rod 49, the inner operating handle is not affected, the connections from the rod 49 to the operating handle having the required lost motion to eiect this, and the i preferred structure is also such that an inner rotatable handle is provided which will act on the pull rod 49 in whichever direction it is turned. Y

The mechanism herein shown for operating the door from the inside is one providing for the positioning of the inner handle at a point considerably remote from the edge of the door asis desirable in vehicle practice.' In the construction shown the bell crank lever 59 Aconnected to the pull rod may be rocked through the medium of a suitable link or connecting rod which in the form of the invention shown consists of two flat links 61 having ends 63 offset in opposite directions and provided with pins 65, the two constituting in eiect a connecting rod with a forked end. To pull onthis connecting rod a suitable rocker is provided whichmay take the form of a fiat disc 67' received in a shallow housing 69 at the inner face of the door and turned by the spindle of the rotatable handle 71. The disc- 67 may receive a three point support inthe housing from the links 61 and a boss 72,0n the bottom of the hous- A ing between the positions of links 61. On

opposite sides of this disc are hooks 73 en' gagjing the pins 65 .from the same side. It will be apparent from 'Fig.' 2 that if the disc 67 is turned in a counter-,clockwise direction the'upper .hook will be efective on the upper arm' of the fork to draw the connecting rod to the left and'so through the medium of the bell crank lever 59 and pull rod 49 to rock the latch operating lever 35 and that in this action the disc will move freely away from the stud 65on the'lower arm of the fork. lIf the disc isturned in the other .direction the ,stud on the lower arm is effective and there .is lost motion between the upper pin 65 and the corresponding -hook portion 73. In other words the disc 67 and each ofthe links 61 forms 4 a force-closed couple and not only may the' latch `be operated by turning the handle 71 in `either direction but, if the latch is operated by means ofthe cam 43 and the rod 49t-hereby lifted` both of the links 61 may move-freely to the left in Fig. 2 with,v

lost motion' with respect to the rocker disc 67 so that the' inner handle 71 is not aected and constitutes no drag onv the operation of the latch by means of the outer handle 39.

Preferably suitable/means are provided for dogging the lever 35 to'hold it against iin Fig. 2 where it is out of the path' of moveformed `in lthe lower `surface of the right hand end of this lever and will support the same against such downward swinging move-l ment as servesto release the latch bolt. To eiiect this purpose as shown by Figs. 2 and 5,

the dog may have a turning movement through av relatively limited arc, herein substantially a quadrant. A customary type of lock used on vehicle-doors is of the cylinderv type and provides for the turning by means of the key of a rearwardly projecting square spindle and to operate this lock and withdraw the key the spindle is given a complete revolution. To permit the operation of the dog by means of such akey-controlled mech-V anism having a spindle 79 the dog may be driven from this spindle by an intermediate member free to make a complete revolution with that spindle and having the requisite lost motionrelative to the dog 75. In the embodiment of the invention shown .the

spindle 79 passes through the center of the operating member 81 journalled in the plates l and 37 `and having the dog 75 itself loosely mounted thereon. TheI dog may beprovided with a iiange portion 83 and the driving elementmay have a tooth 8.5 which when the clement is turned :in one direction counterclockwise to the position shown in Fig. 2

engagesA the end portion of this flange. When the device is turned in the opposite direction to the position shown in Fig..5 the oppositesiide of the tooth will engage the inner face of the flange moving the dog from l the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 5, the driving element 81 returning as shown to the saine position, thus`malnng a complete revolution and permitting the w1thdravv.alJ of the key from the lock controlling the spindle 79. It will be apparent from the figures that the major portion of the rotation of thed'riving -membe'r from either of the positions shown is idle but in the latter part. of its Atravel the tooth engages the 'ange l83 and gives the requisite movement tothe dog 75'. The ange 83 provides for-the applicatiouof a retaining spring to the dog 75, which spring 87 may be coiledaround a post 89` and conveniently has one end engaged witli'the 'tail of the latch bolt formed by the arm 31,

the other end extending and resting either iis on the side or the end 'of the flange as shown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3, the position of the parts preferably being such that the side and end of the iiange present flat bearings for this end of the spring. It will also be noted that in the turnin movement theV oint of pre/ssure of the springl 87 on the dog 5 is moved from one side to t in feach instance tends to hold -the dogl in the position to which it has been turned. 0

Referring to Fig. 4, I shall next describe e other ofthe spindle 79 so that the pressure ofthe spring the particular construction of strike or keeper herein illustrated. This comprises a jamb fitting adapted to be set in the mortise of the jamb 15 substantially flush with the face thereof which opposes the edge of the 'of Figs. 3 and 4 if the reader imagines the casing 21 in the former figure to be aligned with the recess 91in the latter and moved towards the left so that the casing enters the recess. Opposing the keeper proper and co` operating with the hollow casing 21 of the latch bar'is a cushioning and aligning bumper herein taking the form of a flanged metal shoe 97 projecting into the recess`91 from the upper side and resiliently supported against upward movement by means of the block Iof rubber 99, the device being secured in a suitable recessv in the upper flange of the keeper member which recess closed on the outside by thecoverplate 101, a portion of the shoe 97 projecting through the restricted lower openinf` of this recess opposite the notched ',keeperqbar 91 and being maintained therein by its anges whichrest on the sides ofl this opening. The removal of the plate 101 provides ready access to this member for renewal or repair.'

' Toprovide for adjustment of the notched keeper bar 9 3 it may be provided with a de'- pending'iange portion 103 and a set screw 105 may extend through this ange portion` and tap into the lower iiange member of the jamb `litting on which the notched bar 93 rests. Cooperating with the screw 105 is anyother set screw 107 which, may extend through'the wall of one of the notches 95, the head being preferably countersunk as shown. This screw is tapped into the notched bar and bears against the jamb titting. Obvioiisly these two screws operate in opposite directions and by manipulation of the two they .serve mutually to lock one another and to hold thenelement 93 rigidly in adjusted position. It will be noted that the I heads of both screws are-exposed at the outer side of the fitting and are easily accessible v for that reason.

I have described in considerable detailthe particular mechanical construction shown in the accompanying drawings asan examj le i of the invention in order that the details thereof might be clearly understood. It is clear, however, that all these details are not essential and that the mechanical construction may be widely varied without departing from the essential inventive ideas which will be defined in the annexed claims.

In referring tothe various parts in these claims I will use such words as inner and outer,"upper and lower and the like, with reference to a lock as appliedV to an ordinary automobile d'cor which opens outwardly and on which the lock would be installed with the handle 71 at the inner side of the door and the handle 39 at the outer side, the door lying in a vertical plane'. It will be obvious, however, that these words are merely relative and used in an exemplary sense.

I claim 1. Door latch mechanism comprising a latch bolt, a swinging lever to act on the bolt, a cam or roll-back cooperating withl the lever at one side of its pivot and force-transmitting means connected tothe lever at the other side of the pivot and having a follower portion presented to the opposite side of the cam.

2. `Door latch mechanism comprising a latch casing having a plate to lie at the side of the door and a iiange to lie at the edge of the door, a bolt swinging on a horizontal pivot adjacent the flange, a shallow lever adan end portion of said lever when turned in' one direction and an arm also lying closely adjacent, the plate connected to the other end portion of the lever and' presented at the other side of the cam.

3. Door latch mechanism comprising a bolt, a pull rod operating substantially in the plane of the side of the door, for operating the bolt, a handle connected tothe Irod for moving the same, an arm iixed to the rod land a cam acting on said arm also t lift the rod and another handle-for turning the cam.

'-4. Door latch mechanism comprising a latch bolt, a swinging lever pivoted between its ends to act on the bolt, a cam directly actsing on one end portion of said lever when turned in one direction, a separately operable mechanism connected`to the opposite end of lever and an arm carried by Said mechanism cooperating with said cam to swing the lever when said cam is turned in'theother direction.J

5. Door latch mechanism comprising a 'latch bolt, a swinging lever pivoted vbetween its ends to act on the bolt, a cam having" a handle for turning the same and directly acting on one end portion of the lever when turned in one direction, a link connected to the opposite end of the lever, a. rotatable hanf l dle connected to the link to move the same lengthwise in the same direction on rotation of the handle in either direction and an arm carried by the link cooperating with the cam fio likewise to move the link when the cam is turned in the other direction.

6. A mechanism as described in claim 5 wherein the lever operating instrumentalitiesare force closed pairs eifective through forceclosed connection whereby movement of the lever by one handle is independent of movement of the other.-

's 7. Door latch mechanism comprising `a supporting plate, a lever adjacent the plate for operating the latch, a cam adjacent the plate adapted to be turned by a transverse spindle, saidcam effective on opposite ends of said lever when turned in opposite direc-v tions respectively and further means for operating said lever comprising link work connected thereto and a remote rotatable handle having whenturned in either direction forceclosed engagement with said link work'to swing the lever always in the same direction.

8. Door latch mechanism comprising` la latch casing havin a'plate to lie at the side of the door and a ange tol lie at the edge of the.'door, a bolt swinging on a horizontal pivot adjacent the flange/a' shallow lever adjacent the plate engaging the bolt at the angle of plate and flange, a pull rod. guided beside said plate for swingingthe lever, a

crank substantially in the plane of the plate for moving the rod, a shallow link extending from saiddcrank closely adjacent the plane of the side of the door, ay rocker for operating the link and a handle for turning the rocker.

9. Door latch mechanism comprising a .bolt pivoted at the edge of the door to swing in a vertical plane transverse thereto, a pivoted lever at a side of the door for operating the same, a pull rod' connected to said lever, a handle remote from the edge of the door and a bell crank and link adjacent said side of the door for operating the rod from. said handle.

10. Door latch mechanism comprsing a latchv casing having a plate to lie at the side of the door and a flange to-li'e' at the edge of the door, a bolt swinging on a horizontal ivot vadjacent the flange, a shallow lever adjacent the plate engaging the bolt at the angle of plate and flange, a pull 4rod guided forswinging thev lever, crank substanti lly in the plane of' the -plate for moving the rod anda handle for turning the crank. E n f y 11. Door latch mechanism comprising a latch bolt operating member, a pull rod for operating the-same, a rotating handle and connections between'l said handle and pull rod effective to move the"V latter on turning of the handle in either direction, a second rotatable'handle for operating said member independently of the first and also eii'fective onturning'in, either direction.

12-Door latch mechanism comprising a latch bolt and means for operating the same l organized and moving a shallow space at one side of the door and comprising a lever swingingin said space, a pull rod connected mote handle and a handle controlled rocker moving substantially in the plane of the side' of the door for moving said link.

13. Door latch mechanism comprising a latchbolt having a portion presenting adjacentthe angle of the edge of the door, means for moving the bolt comprising 4an operating lever engaging said portion lying in a sha1-c low space at the side of the doorand mov-- ing substantially inthe plane of said side, a

coplanar device on one side of the lever for moving the same and a coplanar dog on the other side'for securing it.

14. Door latch mechanism comprising a latch casing having a plate to lie at the Side of the door and a iange to lie at the edge of the door, a bolt swinging on a horizontal pivot adjacent the flange, a shallow lever adjacent the plate engaging the bolt at the angle of plate and liange, means to swing the lever a/nd a dog turning adjacent the plate for,securing said lever against movement.

15. Door latch mechanism comprising a latch casing having a plate to lie at the sidey of the door and a ange to lie`at the edge 1.

of the door, a bolt `swinging oli a horizontal pivot adjacent the i'lange, a shallow lever adjacent the plate engaging the bolt at the angle of plate and ange, means to swing the `lever, a dog lying adjacent the plate and means to turn the same to engage with or be disengaged from the lever comprising an ele- 'i 16. Door latch mechanism including a le-` Verfor moving the latch bolt, a pivoted dog for securing the lever having a projecting lug, and a concentrically pivoted member having lost motion relative to said dog and having surfaces 'to engage the lug to move the dog in opposite` directions. a

17. Door latch mechanism'including a lever for moving the latch bolta pivoted dog for securing the bolt having a flange and al` p concentrically pivotedrotatable member for turnin` the dog having a tooth engaging the edge o the Aflange when turned 1n one direction-and the side thereof when turned 1n the other. v

18. Door latch mechanism including a lever for moving the latch bolt, a pivoted, dog

for securing the bolthaving a iiange pre. senting a side and end to a retaining spring when turned substantially through a -quadrant, a spring cooperating therewith and a completely rotatable driver havingV a lost Y motion connectionwith said dog. 19. 4Door latch mechanism including a lever for moving the latch bolt, a pivoted dog for securing the bolt having a flange presenting a side 'andend to a retaining spring when turned substantially through a quadrant, a spring cooperating therewith and a completely rotatabledriver havingl a' tooth engaging said flange during the latter part o its movement in opposite directions for turning the dog. u

In testimony whereof, I have signed my vname to this specification.

HERMENEGILDE CARRIER. 

